Pentagon Preparing New African Military Command

April 29, 2007

The United States is to announce within six months the location of a new Africa command "to oversee U.S. military activities on the continent," a top Defense Department official revealed on April 16.

“Our thinking is still evolving,” said Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Ryan Henry, adding that a decision was expected “prior to the beginning of October” and the Pentagon would like to see the Africa command fully operational by September 2008.

Africa “is emerging on the world scene as a strategic player and we need to deal with it as a continent,” said Henry, who just returned from an April 15-21 trip to Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal for talks for opening the regional command.